eNNOUNCER June 2014

                   

AAPT 2014 Summer Meeting Hill

Register today! 

                   

The 2014 AAPT Summer Meeting.
This meeting will be held at the University of Minnesota from July 26-30, 2014.  Join over 1,000 of your colleagues for five days of interactive workshops and sessions, exciting activities, and opportunities to network with peers from around the world. Learn more about the meeting and reserve your hotel room today!

Refer-A-Friend Promotion
Huge thanks go to the following meeting registrants for referring friends and colleagues to join them for the 2014 AAPT Summer Meeting: Thema Berquo (2), Brian J. Anderson (1), Martin Johnston (1), and John Zwart (1). They will receive a $25 American Express gift card for each of their referrals. The promotion ended on May 26.

Design AAPT's New T-shirt, Win $100!!
   Do you have an idea for AAPT's new T-shirt? One lucky winner will receive $100. The contest is open to everyone and the deadline is June 15th. Visit our contest page today to read the complete submission rules. Submit your design today!

Summer Meeting Social Media Team
   Are you social media savvy? If so, we're looking for you. We need a few summer meeting registrants to help us to promote the meeting before, during, and after. Do you think you have what it takes? Email marketing@aapt.org to learn more. Visit our social media page to make sure you're connected with us on all of our channels.

  

Amazon Smile
Donating to AAPT just got a little easier! Simply visit http://bit.ly/AAPTAMZ and confirm you'd like a percentage of your Amazon.com purchases to go to AAPT. From then on, AAPT will receive a small donation from each of your purchases whether it's text books, electronics, clothing, or groceries, every purchase will support AAPT. Start shopping today!

                   

The Frederick and Florence Bauder Endowment

The Frederick and Florence Bauder Endowment provides grants to support special activities in the area of physics teaching. The deadline for applications to request funds is July 1, 2014.

                   

AAPT PhysicsBowl Results

PhysicsBowlThe American Association of Physics Teachers has posted the results, solutions, and certificates for the 2014 PhysicsBowl. Learn more »

Women in Physics Book Now Available

Women in Physics: A collection of reprints in honor of Melba Newell Phillips, is now available.  The collection includes eighteen articles on women in physics, presented in four parts:

 
  • Gender Issues in Physics and Physics Education

  • <>Gender-related Physics Education Research

  • Biographical Articles

  • Analysis of the Role of Women in Science

Articles are reprinted from the American Journal of Physics, The Physics Teacher, Physics Today, and Physical Review Special Topics.  Proceeds from the sales will support the endowment of the Melba Newell Phillips Medal.

Order your copy at The Physics Store

Calling All Science Educators!

A long-time supplier and AAPT member in the science education market is conducting a brief survey to understand how middle school, high school and university educators evaluate science teaching tools.  The survey takes under ten minutes to complete.  Please take a moment to complete it now! Go here »

Eric Mazur Awarded Minerva Prize

The Minerva Project has announced that the first Minerva Prize for Advancements in Education—which comes with a $500K check—will be awarded to Dr. Eric Mazur, the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics and Area Dean of Applied Physics at Harvard University. An AAPT member, Dr. Mazur is well know to our members and New Faculty Workshop attendees. Read more »

                                       

Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs

The American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Physicial Society are pleased to announce the formation of the Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP). Read more »

                                       

American Journal of Physics as ePUB

Last month's AJP theme issue, The Intersection of Biology and Physics is now available as an ePub in The Physics Store. It is free for AAPT members but you will be asked to help us evaluate this format by participating in a short survey this summer.

                                        

Increase Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Do you or does your department have a practice, funding strategy, internship placement strategy or course with research embedded in it that, if adopted by other physics or astronomy departments, would help increase the number of undergraduate research opportunities? AAPT along with the Council on Undergraduate Research, the American Physical Society, and the Society of Physics Students are collecting articles that will be published on-line to serve as a resource to departments, faculty, and students as they work to meet the challenge put before the community that all undergraduate physics and astronomy majors at all colleges be provided with a research experience. AAPT’s statement on research experiences for undergraduates is available on our website. We invite you to submit an article for publication in this new resource that highlights any practice that encourages, leads to increases in, or enhances research experiences for undergraduates. We strongly encourage faculty members at two-year colleges to consider submitting a highlight.  Please contact Executive Officer Beth Cunningham (eo@aapt.org) for more information.

                                                          

The Mary Beth Monroe Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship will memorialize and honor Mary Beth Monroe’s inspiring lifelong commitment to the support and encouragement of physics students and her dedication to service at all levels in the Society of Physics Students and the American Association of Physics Teachers. Friends and colleagues are encouraged to assist in the endowment of the scholarship by donating through either SPS or AAPT, with the designation "Mary Beth Monroe SPS Student Scholarship."

SPS and AAPT members are now invited to contribute to the Mary Beth Monroe Memorial Scholarship.

For an article about Mary Beth, please see the fall SPS Observer, http://www.spsobserver.org/2013/fall-singularities.pdf.

                   

2014 AAPT/PTRA Trainer Institute

The Physics Teaching Resource Agents Trainer Institute will be held July 23-26, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota just prior to the national AAPT Summer Meeting.  The meeting will begin at 6 PM on Wednesday, July 23 at the Courtyard Marriott (room TBD).  The agenda is being finalized, but will include the following: updates on STEM probes and technology from Vernier, PASCO, and TI, recently developed Perimeter modules, and revision/development of PTRA topics to modules integrating technology, engineering, and math, as well as adaptations for elementary and middle school. Read more »

                   

Save the Date

Physics and Astronomy Experienced Faculty Workshop, July 24-26
AAPT in collaboration with the American Physical Society and the American Astronomical Society is hosting an NSF-funded workshop July 24-26, 2014 in Minneapolis, MN, aimed at tenured faculty members who want to learn more about effectiveness of those practices in their roles as department leaders, mentors for junior faculty members, and physics and astronomy educators. The workshop will have a mix of presentations by national leaders in physics education and small group discussions. Online registration is available on the AAPT website.

 

Please bring this note to the attention of appropriate faculty members in your department and have them sign up before June 13 because the number of participant slots is limited. The NSF grant will cover hotel and food expenses at the conference. A $200 travel subsidy is available for each member of a team of two or more faculty members from the same department.  Faculty members who attended one of the Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshops are not eligible for the Experienced Faculty Workshop.

NGSS for Physics and Physical Sciences: Forces and Interactions
Prepare yourself for the Next Generation Science Standards with the help of AAPT's Physics Teaching Resource Agents, June 16-27, 2014 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Take "Forces and Interactions," the first of three courses focused on content and activities that meet the new NGSS criteria. The course may be taken for Continuing Education or 3 graduate credits. Read more »

AAPT-ALPhA Award

AAPT and ALPhA (Advanced Laboratory Physics Association) announce the AAPT/ALPhA Award for undergraduate physics students who have executed, mastered, and left as a legacy for future students an advance laboratory experiment. Do you have a student (or team of students) who might be interested in taking up the challenge to build an experiment new to their own department and possibly receive national recognition, attend a national AAPT meeting, present an invited talk, and receive a check for $4,000? Nominations for this award must be submitted, with extensive documentation, by September 1, 2015. If qualified candidates are proposed, we anticipate presenting the first award at the 2016 AAPT Winter Meeting in New Orleans. Read more. Funding for this award, for the first five years, is provided by TeachSpin, Inc.

Consider Submitting an Entry to the Apparatus Competition

The AAPT Apparatus Competition recognizes, rewards, and publicizes worthwhile contributions to physics teaching through lecture demonstrations, instructional laboratory equipment, and interactive exhibits. The Competition is held annually during AAPT's summer meeting and is open to all members with entries targeting all levels of physics education from K-12 to undergraduates to the general public.  See the entry selection criteria. Entrants must notify the Apparatus Competition Director in June 2014 of their intention to enter the 2014 Apparatus Competition. An official application packet is available on the AAPT website.

2015-2016 Fulbright Scholar competition

The Fulbright Scholar competition for academic year 2015-2016 launched last month, and Spain is offering an award in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. More information about the Fulbright Scholar Program can be found at www.cies.org and the complete catalog of awards can be accessed online at http://catalog.cies.org/.  The current competition will close on August 1, 2014.

The Human Variable in Teaching

In an article published by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Daryao S. Khatri, a physics professor at U. of the District of Columbia, is highlighted for his work with Marc'Quinn Davis, a non-traditional science major. Link to the article »

Juniata College Honors James White with Teaching, Service Awards

James White, professor of physics and recipient of the Beachley Award for Distinguished Teaching was honored Tuesday, May 6, with distinguished teaching and service awards during the College's Spring Awards Convocation.

STEaM Photography Show and Competition

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History will host a photo art exhibit that invites members of the community to share their photographic talent and eye for everything that is science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEaM).

Any individual, from a professional photographer to a student with a camera phone, may submit a photograph to this competition/exhibition with the hope to not only win a cash prize but to also have their work on display in a nationally accredited, Smithsonian affiliated museum. Each entry fee is $15, and there is no limit to the amount of entries an individual can submit. All winning entries will debut at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History from November 8, 2014, through January 4, 2015. Entries are now being accepted online through August 29, 2014 at nuclearmuseum.org »

                     

Middle and High School Physical Science Opportunity

We are looking for science assessment writers who have knowledge of the Next Generation Science Standards.  Ideally, item writers will have familiarity in the middle school and high school grades, some teaching/classroom experience, and understand the new science standards.  If you have expertise in creating assessment items and would like an opportunity to work as a freelancer, please contact Michael Comer, Editorial Director Math and Science, Victory Productions or call 508-798-6223.

                

Chautaugua Short Course

Research-Based Active Learning in Introductory Physics

Chautauqua Short Course, June 15-17, 2014, Portland, OR -- Designed for those who teach introductory physics at universities, colleges and high schools. Up to two hours of graduate credit will be available from the University of Oregon.

This hands-on course is designed for those interested in making learning in their introductory course more active either within a traditional course structure  (lectures, labs, and recitation hours), or by re-structuring their course (e.g., into a workshop or studio course).

For more information and to register go   here or contact David Sokoloff, Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, E-mail: sokoloff@uoregon.edu, Phone: (541) 221-6543, Fax:  (541) 346-5861.

2014  International Year of Crystallography

The International Year of Crystallography 2014 (IYCr2014) commemorates not only the centennial of X-ray diffraction, which allowed the detailed study of crystalline material, but also the 400th anniversary of Kepler’s observation in 1611 of the symmetrical form of ice crystals, which began the wider study of the role of symmetry in matter.  Links to posters and other promotional materials and resources are available on the IYCR website. Read more »

                                       

Modeling Workshops nationwide

Modeling Workshops in high school physics, chemistry,  physical science, and biology will be offered this summer. Modeling Workshops are peer-led. Modeling Instruction is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as an Exemplary K-12 science program. More Information » and Workshop descriptions »

                                       

ASU Modeling Workshops in Physics and Chemistry

Four Modeling Workshops (June 9-27, July 7-25) for high school physics, chemistry, and physical science teachers nationwide are offered by Arizona State University in Tempe. The program can lead to a Master of Natural Science degree. Low-cost family housing is available.  More Information »

    

More from your Membership!

Did you know that you can connect with your collegues by joining an AAPT Email Discussion List?   There are more than 20 different lists/communities available. Find the list that matches your career interests at  http://www.aapt.org/Resources/lists.cfm.  Contact your Member Services  Department at 301-209-3333, or  by e-mail at membership@aapt.org if  you need assistance, or have further questions.

Career Learning Center

Professional development is a work in progress, and constantly gaining new skills and knowledge is essential to the success of any career. The latest enhancement to the AAPT Career Center - the Career Learning Center - is a career-guidance companion to searching the latest science teaching jobs. Equipped with four career-centric seminars, the AAPT Career Learning Center is a user-friendly virtual platform that satisfies the professional needs of AAPT members at all points on the career spectrum.
This helpful content is ONLY available to registered users with the AAPT Career Center, a free job seeker service provided by AAPT. Quickly login or create your job seeker account, and take control of your future by building a stronger presence among our industry's top employers.

Free Internship Job Posting on AAPT Career Center

AAPT has an online jobsite that offers free 60-day internship job postings.  To post internships online at AAPT visit http://jobs.aapt.org/. Locate the best fit for your organization by reaching the future of the science community – AAPT members. Valid intern-level opportunities are defined as limited-term (up to 12 weeks) employment for current undergraduates or recent bachelor degree recipients with financial compensation (if any) in the form of a modest salary or stipend. "Internship" Job Level must be selected when posting to access this offer.

                                                                

Social Media @ AAPT

AAPT wants to connect with you on social media! Stay abreast of the latest AAPT and physics-related news. We invite you to like us, follow us, connect with us, and pin us. You can find us here:
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ComPADRE

SPS and ComPADRE Undergraduate Research Database

The SPS and ComPADRE partner each year to make availiable a list of research opportunities and internships for undergraduate students.  This year there are more than 150 research sites from across the country and around the world.  We encourage you to direct your students to the database.  Deadlines for applications are approaching.

ComPADRE Digital Library

The ComPADRE Digital Library is a network of free online resource collections supporting faculty, students, and teachers in Physics and Astronomy Education.

Each ComPADRE collection contains a catalog of materials for teaching and learning that are selected by the editors for the target user community.  The collections also provide information resources and community collaboration tools to support the needs of our users, usually in collaboration with partner physics and astronomy education projects.

                   

Section News

Deadline for the July 2014 AAPT Section News is June 30!
Submit reports from your spring meeting to mgardner@aapt.org. To list your section meeting in the AAPT Calendar of Events, e-mail the information to mgardner@aapt.org.

                   

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© 2014, American Association of Physics Teachers

 

In this issue

 

Featured Journal

Articles

The Physics Teacher

A Guided Inquiry on Hubble Plots and the Big Bang
                                Read online

American Journal of Physics

   

Orbits of massless particles in the Schwarzschild metric: Exact solutions             Read online

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Women in Physics

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